


exactly where you'd like me

by theyoungv_eins



Series: Robron Week 2017 [4]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron and Rebecca are friends, Alternative Universe - I don't even know what this can be categorised as, First Meeting, M/M, Masquerade Ball, SOME KISSES!, Some dancing!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 20:45:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10048574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theyoungv_eins/pseuds/theyoungv_eins
Summary: "Care to dance?" Robert asks, and Aaron thinks he's talking to Rebecca, until he looks up again. It takes Aaron a moment to realise that, yes, he's definitely asking him to dance, because he's looking right at him and holding out his hand. "I'd love to hear more."--ROBRON WEEK DAY 4: Different WorldsAn AU in which the boys meet each other at Rebecca's masquerade ball





	

**Author's Note:**

> i thought i'd have a hard time writing this, since i'm not very good at AUs, but as soon as the idea came to me it was so easy. yay! (still took me like 10 hours to write because i'm lazy)  
> hope it's not cripplingly ooc, and i hope you enjoy :)
> 
> title is from [but it's better if you do by panic! at the disco](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBtH2YlNiNc) because it's where i got the masquerade idea from

Aaron tugs nervously at his mask. He pushes it up his nose, feels too suffocated. He pulls it down, and feels like it'll fall off.

"Stop fidgeting," Rebecca tells him, putting a hand on his back to push him forwards. "The string will come undone."

Aaron grumbles as Rebecca pushes him through the crowd of people. She's saying something about elastic strings, but he's not listening to her. He's too busy looking around, taking it all in. 

He was reluctant when Rebecca told him she'd be holding a masquerade ball, and that he _had_ to go. It's all a bit too fancy for him. He'd be much more comfortable having a pint at the pub, but it's not like he had any choice on the matter. She has a thing with persuasion, so it's hard to say no. 

They stop at one of the tables at the far end of the hall, and Aaron makes a face when Rebecca passes him a glass of champagne. He downs it in one go. It's too sweet and he hates it, but maybe if he gets drunk on it, he'll stop being so stupidly nervous. Why is he so nervous? It's just a party, he reminds himself. It's not even his first high-key party. Being friends with Rebecca White has its perks — especially when party-throwing is one of her specialties. 

Rebecca looks stunning. Her mask is expensive looking — rose-gold, with an array of black feathers attached to one side. She's wearing a black dress that stops just short of her knees. It's irritating, how effortlessly gorgeous she is. 

She bought Aaron's mask for him. It's custom made to fit his face, simple black leather, and it covers the top half of his face. It's nice, he supposes. Doesn't mean he still doesn't think he looks daft, though. Still, it could've been worse. She could've bought him one of the ones with a beak. 

They're in the middle of a conversation about business at the scrapyard when Rebecca makes a delighted noise and holds up a finger to shush Aaron momentarily. She skips forwards, graceful even in her heels, towards a man approaching the two of them.  

"You made it!" Rebecca exclaims, grinning massively. He kisses both of her cheeks in greeting and accepts the glass of champagne she offers him. 

"Wouldn't miss it," Robert says. He takes a sip of his champagne. He's dignified. Well put together. He practically screams extravagance. From his perfect suit, to his carefully styled hair. His mask is golden with the hint of a intricate pattern engraved into it, and it covers all but the bottom half of the right side of his face. His outfit probably costs more than everything Aaron owns. He dislikes him almost instantly — he usually does, with his type.

Robert's eyes turn to Aaron, who's still standing there, unsure of what to do with himself. "And who's this?" 

"This is Aaron Dingle — I told you about him. He co-owns the Holey Scrap in Emmerdale," Rebecca tells him, placing a hand on Aaron's arm. Slyly, she adds, "An excellent investment opportunity, if you ask me."

"I bet. Robert Sugden," he says, stepping forwards to shake Aaron's hand, and. Either Aaron's imagining it, or he catches Robert looking him up and down. Is he... Is he checking him out? Or is he just curious? Not used to seeing someone of a lower class at an event like this, probably. Is it that obvious that he doesn't belong here? Aaron shakes it off, instead busying himself with finding some more champagne. 

Robert and Rebecca immediately launch into a conversation of God knows what. Something boring and completely out of Aaron's league, obviously. 

Awkwardly, he sips at his champagne and starts fiddle with his mask. He looks around again. Debates just wandering off for a bit (Rebecca would kill him if he just left altogether, like he wants). On the other side of the hall, there's a string ensemble, accompanied by a pianist and a percussionist, playing classical tunes. In the middle, couples dance together, all donning masks of different colours, shapes, sizes. He feels weird here, out of place. But it's a good opportunity to get some business, Rebecca says. 

Speaking of — she's been trying to get his attention for a while now. "Aaron, are you alive in there?" she asks, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Er, yeah." Aaron blinks, somewhat confused. He glances at Robert, who's smirking at Aaron from behind his mask. "What were that?"

"I was just saying," she says, slapping Aaron's hand away from the string tied around the back of his head, "that you and Adam pretty much started your business from the ground up." 

"Um. Yeah, we did," is all Aaron can say. 

"A man of few words, then?" Robert notes, and he's still smirking. His stupid smile only widens when Aaron glares at him.  _Christ_ , Aaron thinks, downing the rest of his drink and putting the glass down on the table behind him. He's not drunk enough for this, yet.

"Care to dance?" Robert asks, and Aaron thinks he's talking to Rebecca, until he looks up again. It takes Aaron a moment to realise that, yes, he's definitely asking him to dance, because he's looking _right at him_ and holding out his hand. "I'd love to hear more."

He's about to decline, but then Rebecca's elbow is digging into his ribs. "He'd love to," she says, taking Robert's glass from him.

Aaron shoots Rebecca an annoyed look, but lets Robert drag him away with him anyway. She's grinning and wiggling her fingers at him. He hates her, sometimes. Hates how he always seems to end up doing what she wants. 

It's awkward at first, because Aaron doesn't really know how to dance, but he lets Robert rearrange his hands until they're in the right position. It's not long until they're dancing. Well, it's more like just lazy swaying, and Aaron trying to avoid eye contact. He can feel Robert looking at him, and it's hard not to look back. He just wants to get this over with, though, so he'll act as disinterested as he can until Robert gets bored.

But he doesn't. The song seems to go  _forever_ , and Robert's still just watching him. He's calm, moving Aaron around on the dance-floor and he's  _still watching him._ Frustrated, Aaron looks up at Robert, who's looking back at him with fierce green eyes and his stupid smile. 

"What?" Aaron hisses, digging his fingers into the fabric of Robert's jacket. He tries his best to look threatening, but it's hard when only half of his face is showing. Probably not the best idea, to be picking a fight, but something about Robert just annoys him. 

"You're not very talkative, are you?" Robert asks. 

"Just not to people like you," Aaron grumbles. Like what? He's known this guy for a minute, and he's already making quick judgements. 

But Robert just laughs. "That's fine," he says, lowering his voice. He leans in and presses his cheek against the side of Aaron's face. "I usually prefer as little talking as possible." 

Aaron pulls away. Was Robert just _flirting_ with him? Is that what that was? 

"So," Robert says, stepping towards Aaron again. He slides his hands around his waist and pulls him closer. "You want to go get some air?"

And all Aaron can do is nod, swallowing hard. 

 

Robert has Aaron pressed up against the wall of the function hall, one hand on his neck and the other on his hip. They're kissing, heated and desperate, and it's hard, since they both have their masks on. As soon as they got to somewhere dark and secluded, Robert was on him with hands and lips. 

Aaron slips a hand under Robert's jacket, tugging his shirt out from his pants. He splays his hand out on his back, feels Robert's skin jump beneath his cold touch. At the first slide of his tongue against Aaron's mouth, he digs his nails into the flesh of his back. He pulls away, looking up at Robert with half-lidded eyes. "Take off the mask," Aaron says.  _Demands._

"What's the point in a disguise if I'm just going to take it off?" Robert teases, matter-of-factly. Aaron rolls his eyes, rubbing a hand across his forehead. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," is Robert's eventual response, and Aaron kind of wants to punch him. He doesn't, though. Just presses closer to Robert and slides his hand further up his back.

Laughing, Robert takes off his mask and. Yeah, okay, he's _handsome_. He has the same smug smirk on his face, but now Aaron can see the freckles under his eyes. The true green-hazel of his eyes, and the shape of his mouth. "Go on, then," Robert says, slipping the mask into the inside pocket of his jacket.

Aaron tugs on the string and removes his mask. It's a relief to finally have the thing off. It still feels like he has it on and it's irritating up until the point when Robert is kissing him again.

Robert's fingers are immediately in his hair, pulling and tugging at the gel in Aaron's hair, and normally, Aaron would be irritated – he had to spend long on his hair, only to have it messed up again before the party's even over. But right now, he doesn't care. He wants Robert's hands in his hair as much as possible. It keeps him grounded, keeps him from turning into jelly before this can really go anywhere. He can feel the want thrumming inside him, bubbling in his chest.

Aaron hums against Robert's mouth, trying to get closer to kiss him deeper. He still has the mask in his hand. He'd throw it down if it weren't so expensive, and if Rebecca wouldn't kill him. 

Robert's hand leaves his hip, reaching up to brush his fingertips against Aaron's jaw. He kisses him hard, and Aaron's about to grab a hold of his arm, mask be damned, but. But then Robert's pulling away, grinning smugly when Aaron chases his lips. 

He doesn't say anything. Just slips his mask back on and pulls Aaron in for one more heated kiss. He's walking away before Aaron can even register what just happened.

 

When he finds Rebecca again (It takes him almost half an hour), she loops her arm through his and pulls him close. "Sounds like Robert's interested in the scrapyard," she tells him. "I gave him your number, hope that's alright." 

"Um. Yeah," Aaron says, and when Robert calls the next day and tells him, "I think this would be a profitable investment. For both of us," he can practically feel him smirking. They make arrangements for a second business meeting for the following week. 

**Author's Note:**

> come be my friend on tumblr! send me a message, maybe?! :0 (please god) [@aarondingl-e](http://aarondingl-e.tumblr.com)


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